The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife (Blair and Grayson) novel Chapter 236

Chapter 236

CHARLOTTE-

Breakfast was an awkward situation with pastries.

Luca sat beside me. His parents across. Marco next to Beatrice like someone had glued him there.

The girl smiled on cue.

Apparently she was a doctor in training and exactly the kind of woman they wanted for their eldest son. Perfect posture. Perfect answers. Perfect, forced smile.

Marco looked uncomfortable every time she asked him a question.

I could see how forced it was.

His parents did not care.

They cared that he was sitting still and nodding.

Did they ever care if their children were happy?

“Beatrice finished top of her cohort last year,” his mother said, loud enough for the next table. “Medicine. Real work. A future that does not depend on a car. A job that saves lives, not takes lives.”

Beatrice ducked her head, modest on purpose.

“I’m only in my clinical years.”

“Only,” his father repeated, pleased. “Give yourself a little more credit. We see how hard you work.”

Luca’s mouth twitched.

Amused.

Of course he was.

Marco stabbed a tomato like it had attacked him.

“And you drive,” Beatrice said to him, trying. “It must be difficult. The travel all the time. Being out there with everyone cheering. Hoping not to mess up.”

“It’s a job,” Marco said. “That I enjoy. A lot.”

“A dangerous job,” his mother cut in. “Which is why stability matters. Beatrice understands duty. Some people in this family could learn.”

Her eyes flicked to me.

I buttered toast I did not want.

Luca leaned back, easy, like this was a movie.

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The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

Then his hand found my thigh under the

blecloth.

I gasped.

–

Everyone looked at me.

“Are you all right?” Beatrice asked, concerned in a professional way.

His mother frowned. “What is it?”

Luca’s finger slid up. Then down. Slow. Dirty. Hidden.

I hit his hand.

He chuckled.

“Cramp,” I said. “Sorry. Long week.”

Marco’s gaze sharpened. He knew that laugh.

Luca sipped coffee like a saint.

“Charlotte works in the garage,” his father said, as if reminding the table of a problem. “We think she could

have-”

“She’s fucking good at what she does.” Luca cut him off. “Next topic.”

His mother set her cup down. “Beatrice will be an asset to this family. Marco is lucky.”

Marco did not look lucky.

Beatrice touched his wrist. He did not pull away. He also did not turn his hand over.

“Lucky,” Luca said. “That’s the word.”

I stepped on his foot.

He did not stop tracing the inside of my knee.

I was going to kill him in the lift.

Then I heard my name. I looked up.

Blair.

Olivia right behind her. Nico with sunglasses indoors.

“Can we join,” Blair asked, already pulling a chair, “or is this a family breakfast only?”

Olivia took one look at Beatrice’s smile and Luca’s parents and whispered, “Oh. It’s definitely a family situation.”

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The Mockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

Nico clapped Marco’s shoulder. “Why so tense today? You look like someone scheduled you.”

is mother stiffened. “This is a family meal.”

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“We’re family,” Nico said, sitting anyway. “Hi. I’m a good friend of Luca’s. We go way back. Weird I never really see his parents at races. You must not come often.”

The table went still.

Blair’s eyes went to my throat.

Then to Luca.

Then back to me.

I kicked Luca again.

He finally moved his hand.

Not far enough.

Olivia dropped into the seat beside me, leaned in, and then gasped.

“Charlotte.”

“What?”

“You have a mark.”

“I have coffee,” I said.

“That is not coffee. That is a big red mark on your neck.”

I clapped a hand over it.

Too late.

Olivia’s eyes went huge. Then bright. Then she looked at Luca like she had just won a bet.

“Oh my-”

! “Olivia.”

“No. No, don’t Olivia me. That is a hickey. That is a professional hickey. That did not happen from a burn.”

What was a freaking professional hickey?

Blair leaned over, saw it, and whispered, “I told you.”

Luca grinned into his cup like he could hear every word.

His mother looked at the new arrivals like someone had invited the circus to her perfect breakfast.

Beatrice tried to introduce herself.

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The Hockey Captain’s Unwanted Wife

“I’m Beatrice. It’s lovely to meet Marco’s friends.”

Nivia blinked.

Looked at Beatrice.

Looked at Marco.

Looked at Luca’s mother.

Looked back at Beatrice.

“Marco’s…friends,” she repeated slowly. “Right. And you are..?”

“A family friend,” his mother said quickly.

“A doctor,” his father added.

“Lucky,” Luca said again.

Nico stole Luca’s pastry. “So. Who’s getting married?”

He said it as a joke.

Beatrice’s smile froze.

Marco closed his eyes.

Their mother scowled at Nico like he had done something awful.

Luca kicked him under the table.

55 vouity

“Shit,” Nico said, pastry halfway to his mouth, finally reading the room. “Oh. I see. I was just being funny.”

“You were not,” Marco said with a groan.

Olivia’s mouth fell open.

Then she whispered, far too loudly, “She’s here for Marco?”

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